Growing up in Laval, QC, Jose Theodore was like countless kids across the province wanting to be a star goalie like his idol, Patrick Roy.

Despite his slight stature, Theodore made his dream come true. Emulating the butterfly style that would make Quebec goalies famous, Theodore broke onto the scene as a teenager with the QMJHL’s St. Jean Lynx, where he caught the eye of his hometown Canadiens. GM Serge Savard and the Habs’ brain trust reached out for Theodore with their second pick, 44th overall at the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, taking the young netminder one step closer to his destiny.

After leading Team Canada to gold at the 1996 World Junior Hockey Championship in Boston, Theodore was ready to make the jump to the NHL the following fall. Theodore may have seen limited action in 1996-97, appearing in 16 games behind starter Jocelyn Thibault, but his coming out party came that spring. With the Habs trailing the Devils 3-0 in their first round playoff series, Theodore was given the surprise start for Game 4 at the Molson Centre. The youngster responded making 56 saves in a 4-3 double overtime win that would prove to be only a sign of things to come.

As Theodore continued his steady progression with the Canadiens under the tutelage of Roland Melanson, his confidence grew with each passing season. Theodore made history for the first time on January 2, 2001, when he capped a shutout win over the Islanders by becoming the first Habs goalie to score a goal, sending the puck the length of the ice in a 3-0 victory.

Theodore would also go on to wrestle the Canadiens’ No. 1 job from Jeff Hackett in 2000-01, but his true date with destiny awaited him the following season.

With the underdog Habs having missed the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons, the chipped were stacked against Theodore and the Canadiens to buck that trend in 2001-02. Undaunted, Theodore would earn his first NHL All-Star Game invite on his way to almost single-handedly carrying the Habs to the playoffs. The rising star led the NHL in save percentage at a team-record .931 clip, making a serious case for himself as a Vezina and Hart Trophy candidate.

On NHL Awards night, Theodore edged out his idol Patrick Roy for the Vezina before doing the same to Jarome Iginla for league MVP honors. In so doing, Theodore became only the third goalie in NHL history to ever win both awards, joining both Dominik Hasek and Habs legend Jacques Plante.

His dream season proved to be a tough act to follow for Theodore, who would make one more All-Star appearance in 2004 before being dealt to the Colorado Avalanche just prior to the trading deadline in 2006.

A lightning fast goalie who made a living with his quick reflexes, Theodore did lead the Canadiens to a pair of first-round playoff upsets, including upending the second-seeded Bruins in 2004. That year, the Habs overcame a 3-1 series deficit for the first time in franchise history, with Theodore blanking the Bruins in the seventh and deciding game in Boston.

Theodore spent parts of 11 seasons with his hometown Habs and ranks in the Top 10 on the club’s all-time list for games played (353), wins (141), and shutouts (23).